I know this is propaganda curated from only the good news to make the Region of Waterloo look its very best but I gotta say, the 2025 RoW Yearbook really does instill a sense of civic pride & a feeling of momentum.

https://www.rowyearbook.ca/

Not featured: the tireless work of activists & community organizers to shape these policies to be inclusive & accessible thru dissent & critique.

@waterlooregion #Waterloo #Kitchener #Ontario #Wilmot #RegionOfWaterloo #Wellesley #NorthDumfries #Woolwich

🐾 Opening Day at the Wilmot WI Market — April 19th! 🌿We’ll be bringing your pups’ favorite handcrafted all-natural dog cookies & treats, including our fan-favorite Bacon & Cheddar treats 🥓🧀 along with other tail-wagging goodies.
#Wilmot #OpeningDay #DogTreats #KenoshaCountyFairgrounds #ShopLocal #FarmersMarket #DogLovers #WisconsinMarkets #Stateline

https://roscoenstella.com/%f0%9f%90%be-opening-day-at-the-wilmot-wi-market-april-19th-%f0%9f%8c%bf/

WATER CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS FORCE TEMPORARY HALT ON NEW DEVELOPMENTS

As of January 2026, the Region of Waterloo reached a critical bottleneck. Severe water capacity constraints within the Mannheim Service Area, which encompasses Kitchener, Waterloo and parts of Cambridge, forced a temporary halt on all new development approvals. 

Although existing water supplies are safe, the water supply system lacks the necessary buffers for repairs, prompting the need for emergency plans regarding new infrastructure and enhanced water supplies. 

While the Region of Waterloo struggles with population growth and land development, Peter Huck, distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo, notes that the Mannheim district relies on a complex Integrated Urban System. 

“The Region of Waterloo is using two types of water,” Huck said. “One is groundwater from about 100 scattered wells, and the other is surface water from the Grand River treated at the Mannheim Treatment Plant.” 

The Mannheim Plant began it’s operations in 1994.  

This creates a technical bottleneck where the wells are at their full capacity and increasing river draw is limited by the need to protect downstream ecosystems. 

The Region initially identified the issue in November 2025 and announced the findings in December 2025, citing that rapid population growth and aging infrastructure led to demand exceeding available capacity.  

The issue has been further discussed and detailed in a Jan. 13, 2026, meeting of the Region of Waterloo’s Sustainability, Infrastructure, and Development committee, where staff confirmed the need for a revised water supply strategy and infrastructure investment. 

During the Jan.13 committee meeting, Sam Nabi, Director of Hold the Line WR, challenged the Region’s ‘surprise’ at the crisis, noting that the 2015 Master Plan had already identified the infrastructure and pumping stations necessary to bolster the Integrated Urban System.  

Nabi questioned why these long-planned interconnections failed to prevent the current bottleneck and challenged the lack of groundwater context in regional planning. He argued against Provincial oversight, calling instead for a collaborative solution led by the local municipalities directly affected by the freeze. 

Huck said that the current 60 per cent operating capacity may be due to equipment that requires more upgrading or replacing it to restore it to its full design potential. 

While Nabi focused on historical planning, Joseph Puopolo, co-CEO of Polocorp Inc., laid out a stark economic forecast for the Region. Puopolo warned that halting development approvals would trigger a “dry-up of municipal development charges, rendering capital budgets irrelevant and driving skilled trades and private investment out of the Region toward more stable municipalities. 

Additionally, he said that investments will be directed elsewhere, citing a further erosion of public trust and inevitable tax hikes if the construction industry remains stalled. 

To prevent what he claims is an economic exodus, Puopolo presented a detailed action plan to the committee, urging Council to decouple planning approvals from water allocation immediately.  

The proposed strategy includes a 30-day sprint to define a capital plan for the immediate refurbishment of the Mannheim system, bridge the gap by initiating a link between the Middleton and Mannheim water systems, and audit high-capacity users by meeting with the Region’s 50 largest water consumers to incentivize rapid reduction in usage before the August peak. 

However, the solution for the water capacity issue isn’t as simple as building more pipes and infrastructure. Alex Latta, associate professor in the Department of Global Studies and the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, said that while ceasing development entirely is not the answer, the Region must re-evaluate its population targets.  

“We need to re-evaluate the scope of population growth that we have said we can accommodate in our region’s Official Plan,” they said. Huck also highlighted the “social” side of the capacity equation: conservation. While the Region has implemented odd-even lawn watering and low-flush toilet incentives, Huck said that further measures might begin impacting residents’ daily lives, raising the question of whether residents would support the further restrictions necessary to measurably increase the buffer between supply and demand. 

While a Great Lakes pipeline is often discussed as a solution for capacity issues, both Latta and Huck remain cautious. Latta said it would be a “last resort” due to extreme costs, urging the Region instead to adopt aggressive conservation measures and stricter regulation of commercial water permits. 

“One of Canadians’ deeply held myths is that we have boundless supplies of fresh water,” said Latta. “Starting to value and respect water is the first step to living in tune with the hydrological realities of our region.” 

Sam Nabi is WLUSP’s Web Manager. 

This article was cross published with The Cord.

HEATING AND COOLING CENTRES OFFER REFUGE ACROSS THE REGION

Waterloo Region residents can access a network of warming, cooling, and clean air spaces designed to provide temporary relief from extreme weather and poor air quality.  

According to the Region of Waterloo, these designated public buildings offer space for anyone who needs refuge from heat, cold or unsafe air during regular business hours. These spaces are intended for temporary relief and are not meant for extended stays.  

The region made these spaces more accessible during late 2022 and early 2023 by expanding hours beyond official weather warnings. This makes spaces available year-round during extreme cold or heat and opens specific overnight warming shelters.  

“Warming, Cooling, and Clean Air Spaces are buildings in the region that provide space for the public to get temporary relief from heat, cold, or poor air quality during regular business hours,” the Region of Waterloo environmental health webpage state.  

So far, there are 57 spaces coordinated by Region of Waterloo Public Health in Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. They are operated by various partners, including the Region itself, area municipalities, community agencies, recreation centres, libraries, and other public buildings.  

In addition to these locations, two Region of Waterloo buildings, 150 Main St. in Cambridge and 150 Frederick St. in Kitchener, are open on weekends and holidays for community members.  

The Region of Waterloo Housing Services is also working closely with community partners, service providers, and those with lived experience to prepare for the cold weather this year.  

“Winter plans include expansions of the emergency shelter system, creating new overflow spaces in shelters and motels across the community, the distribution of winter warming packages, and the opening of two overnight warming spaces,” Scott Cressman, communications specialist at Waterloo Region, said.   

He stated the Region developed warming packages in partnership with co-creators of the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness, including items to support people experiencing homelessness. These packages are distributed by outreach workers who can connect individuals to supports.  

Public libraries also serve as designated spaces. Waterloo Public Library currently has three libraries serving as cooling, warming, and clean air spaces. These branches include the Eastside branch, the John M. Harper branch and the Main branch. Due to size constraints, the McCormick branch is not considered a warming, cooling, or clean air space.  

“As public spaces, community members are welcome and encouraged to visit our library locations any time. In extreme weather conditions, we offer our spaces to anyone in the community, along with all our free library amenities, services, programs, and online resources,” Anjana Kipfer, Marketing and Communications manager at the Waterloo Public Library, said.  

Kipfer explained that she does not know when the libraries were designated as cooling, warming, or clean air spaces, but she suspects it occurred quite a long time ago, and the branches will continue to have this designation.  

“We have been used for temporary relief from heat, cold, or poor air quality throughout the seasons, as a cooling centre in the summer during heat waves, as a clean air space during poor air quality conditions, and as a warming centre during extreme cold warnings,” Kipfer said.  

She also said that besides the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system the library has for heating, cooling, and air quality, they do not have other specialized equipment.  

Residents can access these spaces even without official weather alerts. Extreme Cold Warnings are issued when temperatures or wind chill reach -30 degrees for at least two hours, while Heat Warnings are issued during high temperatures or when humidex values meet national criteria.   

Many of the designated spaces operate year-round during business hours to provide relief whenever needed, ensuring that residents of all ages, including those experiencing homelessness, have safe and accessible options during extreme weather or poor air quality conditions. 

ONTARIO WASTE COLLECTION CHANGES

On Nov. 4, 2025, Circular Materials released new details on the changes to curbside recycling in Waterloo Region. Circular Materials is the national not-for-profit which took over responsibility for managing recycling in the province in March 2024.  

The changes are part of Ontario’s new recycling regulation that moves recycling programs to an extended producer responsibility (EPR) model. The new recycling program officially starts on Jan. 1, 2026 and is funded and operated by producers of packaging and paper products.  

“The program takes the costs of and operational responsibility for blue box recycling away from taxpayers and municipalities. This means that residents will no longer be paying for recycling services as this cost will be borne by producers,” Jennifer Kerr, Director of Community and Media Relations at Circular Materials, said.  

Under current recycling programs, each municipality decides what materials can be placed in blue bins. The change introduces a unified materials list that is the same across the province.   

The new list includes previously unaccepted items, including hot and cold beverage cups, toothpaste tubes, black plastic containers and frozen juice containers. The complete list of materials is available on the Circular Materials website.   

“The unified material list and new materials included are a great example of how extended producer responsibility advances innovation and improves environmental outcomes,” Kerr said.  

March 2026 brings additional changes to curbside recycling. Recycling collection will shift to a bi-weekly, four-day schedule running Tuesday to Friday. To accommodate the change, Circular Materials is delivering two additional blue boxes to residents starting in January 2026.  

“The new bi-weekly recycling schedule will alternate with the new bi-weekly garbage and organics collection schedule which is managed by the Region of Waterloo,” Kerr said.   

While Circular Materials manages the program, each community is serviced by a different collection contractor. Miller Waste currently provides curbside collection in Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo.   

Starting on Mar. 3, 2026, Miller Waste will provide collection service across all Waterloo Region communities, including North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. Contact information for local collection services, along with the most up-to-date recycling details, is available at circularmaterials.ca/waterlooregion.  

The move from municipally operated programs to a province-wide program is a major change. Kerr said the feedback from residents has mainly been on clarifying what the changes are.   

“We appreciate residents’ and communities’ continued engagement and participation in recycling through this transition. Resident participation is vital to increasing recycling rates and advancing a more sustainable future,” Kerr said. 

#AlexKinsella #Cambridge #CircularMaterials #jenniferKerr #kitchener #millerWaste #NorthDumfries #recycling #RegionOfWaterloo #waterloo #waterlooRegion #Wellesley #Wilmot #Woolwich

KITCHENER FIRE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES NEXT GENERATION 9-1-1

On Oct. 23, the Kitchener Fire Department implemented Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1), a fully digital upgrade to the traditional emergency network that improves reliability, accuracy and system resilience.  

Kitchener Fire is among the first fire Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in Ontario to implement this new system.  

NG9-1-1 provides more precise caller location and phone number information, enhanced cybersecurity, expanded backup redundancy in the event of a system failure, and the capacity to support future digital technologies.  

Robert Gilmore, deputy fire chief for the City of Kitchener, said the upgrade represents a major shift in how the public connects with emergency services.  

“For three decades, our Emergency Communications Centre has served this community well, but NG9-1-1 will ensure we are ready for the next generation of challenges, with faster, smarter or more resilient service,” Gilmore said.  

Jamal Alam, the City of Kitchener’s Program Manager of Fire Systems and Projects, said the infrastructure behind 9-1-1 has fundamentally changed.  

With the switch to NG9-1-1, the department has replaced traditional telephones with computer-based softphones. Operators now use touchscreen monitors and digital keypads to handle calls, search contacts and access speed dials. The updated system displays caller location and call type and adds new phone lines and customer service features.  

The shift is part of a national transition mandated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).  

All telecommunications providers must update their networks to NG9-1-1 voice services by Mar. 31, 2027. Across Canada, 226 PSAPs are required to migrate.  

“We’ve transitioned to an IP-based infrastructure that provides more reliable services and better interconnectivity between emergency services,” Alam said.  

“People calling 911 won’t notice a change, but the tools available to operators will help them serve the community more effectively,” he said.  

The Kitchener Fire Department looks forward to receiving fire or incident reporting from NG9-1-1. The data will allow the department to use advanced analytics to better understand their call volume and the types of incidents they are dispatching in the community.  

“With technology changing so rapidly, all emergency services need to understand and use these tools,” Alam said.  

“At the Kitchener Fire Department, aside from NG9-1-1, we are transitioning many forms from paper to digital. We continue to lead the way in implementing technology for our staff,” he said.  

Funding for NG9-1-1 transitions is available through the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General, which allows PSAPs to apply for grants to purchase equipment and support staffing costs for the project.  

“NG9-1-1 aside, we are fortunate to have funding available for new tools and upgrades,” Gilmore said.  

Kitchener Fire’s Dispatch Emergency Communications Centre provides call-taking and fire dispatch services for Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo, Woolwich, Wilmot, Wellesley, North Dumfries and Stratford.  

#Cambridge #canadianRadioTevelvision #jamalAmal #kitchener #NorthDumfries #ontarioMinistryOfTheColicitorGeneral #PSAPs #publicSafetyAnsweringPoints #robertGilmore #SangjunHan #Stratford #telecommunicationsCommission #waterloo #Wellesley #Wilmot #Woolwich